Herman c



June i9, 1923.

H- C. MAlsE VEHICLE BODY Filed April la. 1921 M1 [H630 WWW] l a 4 l! "MII Ml Il F1a-Dfi: l I 1.

l l G 4 ,017 5 /a 9 `\l fue' i@ 6 4 H 207 is o la la y Fie-5 MW ketm om Maia@ Patented June 19, 1923. ,Y

vwna- STATES HERMAN "0. MAIsE, oF DETROIT',

MICHIGAN, Assieiron' To sarees ivrANUEAoTUniNG COMPANY, or DETROIT, MicIIIGAN,./A conroniiuioN .or MICHIGAN.

VEHICLE "nonYl Application filed April'lS, 1921.y Serial No. 462,084.

To all whom` t may concern.' 3

Be it known that I, HERMAN C. MAIsE, a citizen of the United States of America, residin at Detroit, in the county of Wayne i and tate of Michigan, have invented certain' new .and useful. Improvements in-'Vehicle Bodies, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings. v A

This invention relates to a vehicle body and more particularly to bodies for motor vehicles especially adapted for usevas taxicabs. The objectof the .invention .is toprv vide aibody having va. drivers compartment 16 which may. be i readily converted from a closed to an opened compartment to facili-v tate the Acarrying of baggage. v I A further objectA isto provide a drivers compartment with a side closure whichmay 20 be readily folded outof the wayfor extended to close the side of the compartment, and further to provide an auxiliary seat for such compartment adapted to. co-operate witha folding side member or closure,said closure '25 forming a supportfor the seat andthe seat forming a brace and support for the *foldingclosure. w y A further object is to provide a very simple4 construction and Aarrangement :which maybe quickly manipulated and is :of in` expensive construction7 said.. construction embodying other new and useful features hereinafter set forth. Y n With the above and other ends in view,

435 the invention consists in the matters hereinafter set forth. vand morey particularly pointed ontin the appended claims, reference b ein had to the accompanyingfdrawmg, in w ichv `40 Fig. 1 is a'perspective view of a portion of a vehicle body illustrative of the inveii` tion-f 4 l Fig. 2 is aside elevation of a portion. of

the body and showing the parts embodying the invention; a '1 Fig. 3 is a plan view of the-same showing the parts" in kfolded position;

Fig. 4 is a similar view showing the parts in extended position, and l t '50' F ig. 5 is a transverse section substantially upon theyline'- of Fig. 2. y 1

A vehicle body of yany desired designandconstruction may be provided ywith the several `features embodying this inventionv but as shown inthe accompanyingdrawing" the -beinglarranged to invention is applied to a taxi-cab or similar body havinga drivers compartmentY A which is provided with the usual single seat B for-the driver. The compartment orside adjacent thedrivers seat may be closed -as in the yusual manner by the usual fixed panel Gand doory D, as such vdoor and-panel Vdo not obstruct the compartment, they being 4on the fside where the steeringwheel and'fixed' drivers-seat are located. However,- such fixed panel and door, if provideda't theopposite` side of the compartment, prevents the carrying of trunks or other large pieces of baggage fand therefore this side of the compartment is usually left open. j

In the present construction aI panel l whichfcorresponds to the panel Gis hinged at -one edge to the body framing byth'e hinges 2 so that this Apanel may be swung inwardly andthe door 3 which corresponds tothe door D attheopposite side of the compartment, is hinged as at 4 to the forward edge of the panel, l, said door hinges permit the door to swing outwardly. Therefore, the panel l may bev swung inwardly against the'back wall of the compartment an the door 3 folded upon this panel so tha lthe door and ypanel will extendfparallel with the'back wall of the compartment and lie close against the saine, thus making the full space within the compartment alongside the drivers seat avail able for baggage and permitting trunks or other large pieces to be set into the open side of the compartment in kfront of the-foldedv panelv anddoor. f 1

'.It'm'ay at times. be desirable to vhave an extra seat 'so that an extra passenger maybe carried and the spacein thedrivers compartment'may be utilized when it is not occupied by baggage. An auxiliary seat 5 is therefore provided, said seat being hinged at one end,l as at 6, to the framing or support for the drivers seat B. 'seat' is arranged to fold over and upon the base or framing 7 of the drivers seat and when in such folded position the removable cushion 8 of the drivers seat may be placed upon top of the folded auxiliary seat. When in' unfolded or extended position the auxiliary seat extends across the compartment; inline -with `the drivers seat and is of such.- a length that-'the -free end kof the seat will engage within a recess 9 in the inner side of the. panell and rest upon the bottom This auxiliary ioo of thisrecess, the panel thusforniing, absup; port for one end of the auxiliary,seat.v A ranged Within the recess 9 are pms 10 pro- `jeeting upwardly froml the bottoni of the reess'and holes areprfovided'iri'the,auxil ary seat with which these pins engage vvhen the seat is turned to extended positions, The.

' seat is thus locked to the panel, forming a brace for the panel,andrigidlyholding same.

Ehewpanel 1 isufurther, held., when, inl ex@ tendedv pston by meansiof! asuitable fas:

` the fioorio for the panelandaranst which theipanelda.

telling, Preferably a locking-:bolt 1l tofthe innerside ofathe panel;` neanits, free edgeto en a ein a floor plfflgZ-seeuredrto i te compartment and hayingian,

outeredge 13 which forms astop pactfauxliaryfseatthe framngofisaidiset comprises asbest me tal platalfqtsutable dimensionswithkthe Side edges, 17; Qthe sheet turned i, upwardly forming, {rent} and, rearianges whlch lendistrength to .thersheet metal, and; prevent its4 bending, under, the weight 0fy ai 1 exfs rtsittingl therein The cushion 18`4 for, said seat is secured betalen. the ia'nges 17-` and: is.sopositionedi and: of

Such a Size relativer@ `the. opei1-ing;19. 4in the frangin Y, or support for *the drversc seat, that saldfcushon wllt 'into thsevoprung when thev auxiliary` seatds foldedfovergupnn theframing.` `Eurther, the upperfedgeofith.- framin of the drivells t seat ist,4 preferably er'lclose` Vby a strip onband 20, otsheetmetal withthe u per edge ,off'this P,strip extending above the rainea short distance toholdutbe',

i cushion 8l in lplace ,when thet auxiliar-yl .seat

is in extended position and to Ai'l'lllea. to receive the auxiliary seat :when said zaux'il. iary seaty is, .turnedito `folded. position .thel'efl on, the upstanding flange being ofisubstaxvA g tially the same wdthas the Widthofj'the;

fiangesl? ofthe auxiliary. seatso that yvv n" saidauxil-iary seat is' in folded-:position t bottom surface of lsaid :seat which; is` Athleten` surface thereof when in foldedvposition, w.'

lie substantially flush with thellpperedge. o the surrounding iangev 20.

It will be understood that the, panel f1 :may

be; of ,any desired heighth or; shape land ithat theA door 3. may, be of; a corresponding heighth `Where itf is desired:` to entirelyef close the drives compartment, and-*other` changes in the form or arraligamentA of parte `falling Withinthe scope ofxtheQappenfdad claims are contemplated and arewithiin fthe spritand scopeof this invention WMM clamisri l 1,. avehicle body having a compartment, aswinging closure for one side of said @apartment an auxiliary seat pvotally supportedatone end` toqbe turned' into engagenient `with said closure, said closure forming a support for one end of said auxiL iary seat, and means for detachably securingthe e11d-0f1-1saidauxi1iary seat in engage ment with said closure, said seat serving to brace and hold said closure. y

2. Inl a vehicle. body having a,A compartment, and a singleixed seatin said compartment,V of a swinging closure forI one `side of said compartment, and anr auxiliary seat; pivotallynf attached at.` one end ofy said. fixed seatito fold' overV andflie upon said fixedfs'eat and: toL detachably engage said `i closure at its free end when inextende'd position andvhold theclosure.. i

3; InA a,A vehicle body, having a compartment, the, combination of a single xede seat adjacent. saidi closed; side. of4 said` comparu nient, a. panel: pivotally supported at ,one ed to, form-a partial closure for the-,open si eet said; compartment and arrangedto swing inwardlyto `aposition adj acentH a vback wallvv ofi the compartment; aldoor, hinged to the i. free ,edge of; the ,panel i to. folds upon A the sameY and: swing inwardlyv therewith, an auxiliaryy `seathinged at one. end to said fixedseatI to belfolded: overv andrlie upon the, fixed: seatfA and tobe extended *to .detach-b ablycen age saidlpanel atits freeend, and gdr; connectingthev free rend' of `v the. auxiliary seat tosaid; panel: to hold.` said panel in extended position.

4r Ina vehicle body having aicompartment, of@ a xed seat, in said' compartment 'comprising a. supporting `frame having; an openingand aremovable cushion, anauxih iaryseatfhinged. aty oneend to saidfraine to be folded over andlie thereonand proa vided withiacushion to enter opening inl the frarnevvhen the auxiliary,- seat: is turned kinte'` folded position upon saidiframe, a. swinging. closure.l for 4 one side` of the Icom; partrnent, andameans for detwchably- .secuning the free end of said auxiliary sentito said@ swinging closure when said# seatisL-f. in extendedxposition l 5. vehicle body as characterized incla'un 4. andwhereinthef swinging. closure is formedswitlra recess in. its inner side te receive the free end of the auxiliary seatfwhen inextended position and "means for f detachably securing saidaendzof said auxiliaryfseaft onsaid `1"ecess.h Y

6. A veh'cle body as... characterizedie in claim 4f, andeincluding a door hinged to the free edge of the.swinging c1osure, ksaid.c1os ure. being in'lthefform of a `parielv with a ire-r cess. in its", innen side to receive the free end lao of .thel auxiliary. seatf when said seatf` isf Tex l5 position and to be turned to extend laterally the panel and seat, whereby the panel forms a support for one end of the seat and said seat forms a brace for the panel.

7. A vehicle body having a drivers compartment, a fixed panel and a door to close one side of said compartment, a fixed drivers seat adjacent said xed panel, a panel at the open side of the compartment hinged at one edge to swing inwardly to a positionv against the back wall of the compartment, a door hinged to the free edge of the panel to fold thereon, an auxiliary seat hinged at one end to the fixed seat to fold over and rest upon said seat in inoperative from .the xed seat with its free end engaged with said panel and be supported thereby, means for detachably engagingsaid free end of said auxiliary seat with said panel for locking said 'end of the auxiliary seat thereto to connect the seat and panel and form a brace for the panel, and a stop to limit the outward swinging movement of the panel.

In testimony whereof I aihx my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HERMAN C. MAISE. 

